1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods of fabricating field emission arrays. Particularly, the present invention relates to field emission array fabrication methods wherein the emitter tips and their corresponding resistors are fabricated through a single mask. More particularly, the present invention relates to field emission array fabrication methods that employ only one mask to define the emitter tips and their corresponding resistors and that do not require a mask to define the column lines thereof.
2. Background of the Related Art
Typically, field emission displays (xe2x80x9cFEDsxe2x80x9d) include an array of pixels, each of which includes one or more substantially conical emitter tips. The array of pixels of a field emission display is typically referred to as a field emission array. Each of the emitter tips is electrically connected to a negative voltage source by means of a cathode conductor line, which is also typically referred to as a column line.
Another set of electrically conductive lines, which are typically referred to as row lines or as gate lines, extends over the pixels of the field emission array. Row lines typically extend across a field emission display substantially perpendicularly to the direction in which the column lines extend. Accordingly, the paths of a row line and of a column line typically cross proximate (above and below, respectively) the location of an emitter tip. The row lines of a field emission array are electrically connected to a relatively positive voltage source. Thus, as a voltage is applied across the column line and the row line, electrons are emitted by the emitter tips and accelerated through an opening in the row line.
As electrons are emitted by emitter tips and accelerate past the row line that extends over the pixel, the electrons are directed toward a corresponding pixel of a positively charged electro-luminescent panel of the field emission display, which is spaced apart from and substantially parallel to the field emission array. As electrons impact a pixel of the electro-luminescent panel, the pixel is illuminated. The degree to which the pixel is illuminated depends upon the number of electrons that impact the pixel.
Numerous techniques have been employed to fabricate field emission arrays and the resistors thereof. An exemplary field emission array fabrication technique includes fabricating the column lines and emitter tips prior to fabricating a dielectric layer and the overlying grid structure, such as by the methods of U.S. Pat. No. 5,302,238, issued to Fred L. Roe et al. on Apr. 12, 1994, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,973, issued to Trung T. Doan et al. on Dec. 13, 1994. Alternatively, a field emission array may be fabricated by forming the dielectric layer and the overlying grid structure, then disposing material over the grid structure and into openings therethrough to form the emitter tips, such as by the technique disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,669,801, issued to Edward C. Lee on Sep. 23, 1997. Such conventional field emission array fabrication methods typically require the use of masks to independently define the various features, such as the column lines, resistors, and emitter tips, thereof.
Another exemplary method of fabricating field emission arrays is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,374,868 (hereinafter xe2x80x9cthe ""868 Patentxe2x80x9d), issued to Kevin Tjaden et al. on Dec. 20, 1994. The fabrication method of the ""868 Patent includes defining trenches in a substrate. The trenches correspond substantially to columns of pixels of the field emission array. A layer of insulative material is disposed over the substrate, including in the trenches thereof. A layer of conductive material and a layer of cathode material (e.g., polysilicon) are sequentially disposed over the layer of insulative material. A mask may then be disposed over the layer of cathode material and the emitter tips and their corresponding column lines defined through the cathode material and xe2x80x9chighly conductivexe2x80x9d material layers, respectively. The method of the ""868 Patent is, however, somewhat undesirable in that the mask thereof is not also employed to fabricate resistors, which limit high current and prevent device failure. Moreover, in the embodiment of the method of the ""868 Patent that employs a single mask to fabricate both the emitter tips and their corresponding column lines, neither the xe2x80x9chighly conductivexe2x80x9d material nor the cathode material is planarized. Thus, the layer of cathode material may have an uneven surface and the heights of the emitter tips defined therein may vary substantially. In embodiments of the method of the ""868 Patent where the layer of xe2x80x9chighly conductivexe2x80x9d material is planarized, only the emitter tips are defined through the mask.
Accordingly, there is a need for a field emission array fabrication process that employs a minimal number of mask steps to define emitter tips of substantially uniform height, their corresponding resistors, and their corresponding column lines.
The present invention includes a method of fabricating the pixels of a field emission array and, in particular, defining emitter tips and their corresponding resistors by employing a single mask. The field emission array fabrication method of the present invention may also include electrically isolating adjacent column lines from one another with requiring the use of an additional mask. Field emission arrays fabricated in accordance with the inventive method are also within the scope of the present invention.
The method of the present invention includes defining a plurality of substantially mutually parallel conductive lines on a substrate. In order to define the conductive lines, a layer of conductive material may be deposited onto the substrate. The conductive lines may be defined from the conductive layer by known processes. Alternatively, conductive material may be selectively deposited onto the substrate, as known in the art, to define the conductive lines.
One or more layers of semiconductive material or conductive material, from which the emitter tips and their corresponding resistors of the field emission array will be defined, may be disposed over each of the conductive lines and over the regions of the substrate that are exposed between adjacent conductive lines. The layer or layers of semiconductive material or conductive material are also referred to herein as the emitter tip-resistor layer or as the emitter tip layer and resistor layer, respectively. The emitter tip and resistor layer or layers may be disposed over the conductive lines and the substrate by known processes and in a thickness that corresponds to a desired height of the emitter tips and their corresponding resistors. As each of the conductive lines protrudes somewhat from the surface of the substrate, a cross section of the emitter tip and resistor layer or layers has a peak and valley appearance. The peaks of the emitter tip and resistor layer or layers are disposed substantially above the conductive lines, while the valleys of the emitter tip and resistor layer or layers are disposed substantially between adjacent column lines. Due to this peak and valley appearance, if the emitter tip and resistor layer or layers are planarized, the heights of the emitter tips and the resistors are defined somewhat by the relative heights of the conductive lines and the thickness of material remaining above the conductive lines following planarization.
A layer of mask material may be disposed over the emitter tip and resistor layer or layers. Such a mask material may be removed from substantially above the conductive lines (i.e., from above the xe2x80x9cpeaksxe2x80x9d) by known processes to define a so-called xe2x80x9chard maskxe2x80x9d from the remaining mask material (i.e., the regions located in the xe2x80x9cvalleysxe2x80x9d). Upon exposure of regions of the emitter tip and resistor layer or layers, regions of the emitter tip and resistor layer or layers disposed above the substantially longitudinal center portion of each of the conductive lines may be substantially removed by known processes to expose the substantially longitudinal center portion of the conductive lines. Exemplary processes that may be employed to remove material from these regions of the emitter tip and resistor layer or layers include, without limitation, the use of etchants that are selective for the material or materials of the emitter tip and resistor layer or layers over the mask material.
The emitter tip and resistor layer or layers may be planarized by known processes, such as by chemical-mechanical planarization (xe2x80x9cCMPxe2x80x9d). Upon such planarization, the peaks and possibly portions of the valleys proximate the surface of the uppermost layer of semiconductive material or conductive material are removed and a substantially planar surface is formed.
The emitter tips and resistors of the field emission array may be defined through the remaining portions of the emitter tip and resistor layer or layers by disposing a mask over the exposed surface of the field emission array and defining apertures therethrough in locations to facilitate the selective removal of portions of the emitter tip and resistor layer or layers through the apertures in order to define the emitter tips and resistors. The mask may be disposed upon the field emission array by known processes, such as by the use of a photoresist material and by exposing and developing selected regions of the photoresist material to define the mask and the apertures therethrough. The emitter tips and resistors may be defined by known processes, such as by the use of etchants for the material or materials of the emitter tip and resistor layer or layers. Preferably, as regions of the emitter tip and resistor layer or layers are removed from the substantially longitudinal center portion of each of the conductive lines and as the emitter tips and resistors are defined, at least a lateral edge of the conductive lines remains covered with a material of the emitter tip and resistor layer or layers.
Adjacent columns of pixels of the field emission array may be electrically isolated from each other by removing at least the substantially longitudinal center portion of each of the conductive lines. An etchant that is selective for the conductive material of the conductive lines over the material or materials of the emitter tip and resistor layer or layers may be employed to remove conductive material from the substantially longitudinal center of each of the conductive lines and, thereby, to define the column lines and to electrically isolate adjacent column lines from one another.
The present invention also includes field emission arrays that have been fabricated in accordance with the method of the present invention. Thus, a field emission array according to the present invention may include a substrate with at least one resistor thereon, at least one lateral conductive layer, or column line, laterally adjacent the resistor, and at least one emitter tip disposed on the resistor. The substrate of the field emission array is exposed between adjacent column lines.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of skill in the art through a consideration of the ensuing description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.